Franklin BB Coach Arrested- car searched at HLHS Game

[Nashville Panther]

O.K. I just read an article on The Tennessean that reported that a basketball coach from Franklin was arrested at Hunters Lane HS. (Metro) which was hosting basketball playoffs. The Metro School Security Office was according to the Tennessean "searching vehicles in the parking lot". They found some pot in his car.

 

I am not posting to attack Franklin.

 

I am not posting to discuss the coach.

 

I am not posting to discuss pot. or pot in cars, or zero tolerance.

 

I am posting because I think that this is a horrendous misuse of the powers of a hosting school. The searching of cars at a sporting game is an enormous violation of the 4th Amendment. Also, these were not police with a warrant according to the story but school security.

 

This case in my opinion should bother anyone who attends a high school sporting event.

 

Besides the constitutional issues that may concern people there are athletic issues as well raised by the actions of Metro School Security.

 

First, in theory a team hosting a key playoff game could decide to rattle the other team and its fans by conducting a search of all vehicles.

 

Imagine. Team from School A is hosting a big game against a hated private school or rival from another county. Principal from School A decides to ask the district security to search the parking lot before the soccer game. He tips off his coach say 3-4 hours before the game, he in turn tips off his players. They are prepared for the search and park their cars elsewhere, say off school grounds. When the other team's bus pulls into the lot they are ordered to be searched?? You don't think that can upset a team. Parents are searched. Say a player's dad refuses/ argues and a conflict erupts. This can upset a team.

 

Or say a visiting team gets permission to use a locker room at a visiting site. Right as the team is dressing, the home school's security demands to search the players cars and bags.

 

The searching of cars at athletic events puts us down a slippery slope of the potential abuse of power. I think the TSSAA needs to discuss this incident and these policies immediately.

 

 

To some who will argue that the security situation is so bad at Metro Schools that they need to search cars at sporting events. Here is what I would respond. Don't play road games at their schools and do not let them host District tournaments and such. If safety is so much of a concern that grandma's car needs to be searched for a pistol then its probably not a place to play.

[Staggie]

I understand your points and can see where an outsider(to the county) might be cynical of the situation. But as a coach in metro these searches happen all the time at district tournaments, regular season games, during the school day. I guess the problem is that other systems might not be used to this. We are never given any warning when searches will take place. They are random. Not all of our students are model citizens nor are all the fans. In todays society it is a necessary evil to do these searches to keep everyone safe. As for this happening at a soccer game..I wish I had a crowd that would cause the police to come out and do searches. Right now it would be a real quick search at about any metro soccer game. I don't think you need to worry these searches will be abused as they have gone on for years and the only reason you never hear about them is most of the time nothing is ever found. This coach was just real unlucky and well not thinking too well as all the signs at the schools clearly announce that any vehicle on school grounds is subject to search....oh and for players thats yours as well and so are lockers, and bags so be real careful what you ever bring on any schools campus. Hope that helps.

[cnpitbull]

very valid topic...somewhere else. this has nothing to do with soccer lol. and if you weren't trying to bash franklin or the coach, why didn't you omit the specifics?

[FiddleSticks]

It is indeed unfortunate that a grown man is not allowed to derive pleasure and mind expansion from plants as long has he is responsible. However, as a grown man, he should have known better and left the stuff at home.

[Nashville Panther]

very valid topic...somewhere else. this has nothing to do with soccer lol. and if you weren't trying to bash franklin or the coach, why didn't you omit the specifics?

 

 

 

The only reason that I mentioned Franklin/ incident is to direct the people to the article. I have nothing against the guy. I am actually rooting for this travesty of justice of a case to be thrown out.

 

I does have to do with soccer as the searching of cars at HS sporting events in MEtro or other districts can impact our sport.

[Nashville Panther]

I understand your points and can see where an outsider(to the county) might be cynical of the situation. But as a coach in metro these searches happen all the time at district tournaments, regular season games, during the school day. I guess the problem is that other systems might not be used to this. We are never given any warning when searches will take place. They are random. Not all of our students are model citizens nor are all the fans. In todays society it is a necessary evil to do these searches to keep everyone safe. As for this happening at a soccer game..I wish I had a crowd that would cause the police to come out and do searches. Right now it would be a real quick search at about any metro soccer game. I don't think you need to worry these searches will be abused as they have gone on for years and the only reason you never hear about them is most of the time nothing is ever found. This coach was just real unlucky and well not thinking too well as all the signs at the schools clearly announce that any vehicle on school grounds is subject to search....oh and for players thats yours as well and so are lockers, and bags so be real careful what you ever bring on any schools campus. Hope that helps.

 

 

 

Well, I appreciate the hard work it must take to work in such an environment where the safety situation requires such methods. I could argue with you that these searches of cars does very little in regards to attacking the root causes of crime. I will also argue that just because its being done doesn't make it Constitutional. Last, if the concerns of violence are so bad at these schools then they probably shouldn't be allowed to host such sporting events.

[Nashville Panther]

The story has disappeared from the Tennessean web page. Oddly it had many comments posetd by readers.

[cnpitbull]

I does have to do with soccer as the searching of cars at HS sporting events in MEtro or other districts can impact our sport.

 

 

Wow, that's a stretch haha. I'm just saying that I'm sure there is a more topic specific area for things like this on the site. Things on the soccer board should relate directly to soccer. I don't even know why this is bothering me because it really doesn't affect me that much lol. I guess I just don't get it (your point)...at all.